If there’s one thing you can always expect from a proper stoner movie, it’s proper stoners and slackers. From their squinty red eyes to their way-too-laid-back personas, they seem to have carved out the ultimate worry-free life. Well, until a bunch of gnarly assassins show up to wreak havoc. That’s what happens in American Ultra, and in honor of the new release we’re looking back at some of our favorite movie stoners, dude.
1. Cheech and Chong -- Up in Smoke (1978), Nice Dreams (1981) and more
The first comedic duo to literally carve an entire career out of hemp, Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong starred in a number of wild pot-infused adventures, including Up in Smoke, in which they unknowingly smuggle a van made entirely out of marijuana from Mexico to Los Angeles.
2. Jeff Spicoli – Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
With his long, surfer hair and penchant for ordering pizzas to his high school classroom, Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) is a great dude to hang out with, but the worst study partner.
3. Bill & Ted – Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989), Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991)
These two West Coast-lingo-slingin’ slackers traveled through time in order to round up a bunch of famous people throughout history to help complete a school assignment. Or maybe they just chilled out on the couch the whole time and it all came to them in some hazy vision. Hmm, we wonder which is more probable…
4. Wayne and Garth – Wayne’s World (1992), Wayne’s World 2 (1993)
Yes, Wayne and Garth are a couple of dopey, music-lovin’ slackers who spend way too much time in Wayne’s basement – but they do have their own public access TV show! (Although Garth’s hair kinda makes us wanna hurl.)
5. Everyone in Dazed and Confused (1993)
From Wooderson (Matthew McConaughey) to Slater (Rory Cochrane), there isn’t one character in Dazed and Confused who doesn’t use the last day of school in 1976 as a reason to party, party and then party some more. “Party at the Moon Tower – full kegs, everyone’s gonna be there!” Count us in!
6. Smokey – Friday (1995)
One of the characters in this iconic mid-‘90s “hood” comedy is actually named Smokey (Chris Tucker), and yes – he does plenty of smoking. But hey, it’s Friday and he ain’t got no job and nothing else to do.
7. Harold and Kumar – Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
All these best buds wanted to do was get high and go to White Castle to get their munchies game on. That adventure – which featured an insane run-in with actor Neil Patrick Harris playing a warped version of himself -- helped spawn two more wacky movies, turning Harold and Kumar into the modern-day equivalent of Cheech and Chong.
8. Jay and Silent Bob – Clerks (1994), Mallrats (1995), Dogma (1999) and more
Notice a trend when it comes to stoners and slackers in movies? They usually run in twos. Writer-director Kevin Smith stars as the silent half of this duo who spend most of their days hanging outside convenience stores slinging weed and heckling all who stroll past.
9. Thurgood, Scarface and Brian -- Half Baked (1998)
They should have called this film When Are They Not Baked? Jim Breuer single-handedly reminds you why tie-dye shirts went out of style decades ago in a comedy that’s stuffed with pot references and cameos, like a memorable one from Jon Stewart. You may have seen this movie, but have you ever watched it… on weed?!
10. The Dude – The Big Lebowski (1998)
Finally, a dude who really brings this list together. Of course we’re talkin’ about the robe-wearin’, White Russian-sippin’ dude who finds himself in a bit of a pickle when thieves mistake him for another dude with the same name.
